Photo By Capt. Eric-James Estrada | A paratrooper assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry...... read more read more
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KHOWST PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Chemical operation specialists were presented with a unique opportunity at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan, after a U.S. Mine Resistant Ambush Vehicle was attacked with a 107 mm white phosphorus rocket in Khowst province.
The Buffalo MRAP is a specialized route clearance vehicle designed to recover or dispose of explosive hazards, such as IED’s. This one, part of the Task Force 4-25 inventory, was attacked a few weeks prior and was deemed inoperable after the inside of the vehicle caught fire due to the white phosphorus chemical from a rocket attack.
The decision was made to decontaminate the vehicle and bring it back into operable service.
“It was deemed inoperable because the inside of the vehicle caught fire,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Darius Baca, the CBRN NCOIC for Task Force 4-25, hailing from Albuquerque, N.M. “We started [decontamination] inside the vehicle, first deconing with water and baking soda to neutralize the white phosphorus just in case it caught fire. Then we tore out all the insides, [including the internal components].”
Baca also elaborated on how remarkable his team performed when the chance to conduct a chemical operations exercise with his paratroopers under wartime conditions.
“We haven’t done anything chemical in the last 10 years in theatre. This is good training as well as a realistic event that afforded us the opportunity to do this,” said Baca.
This was the first decontamination mission for U.S. Army Sgt. Sheree LaPointe, who hails from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., a chemical operations specialist assigned to B Company, 725th Brigade Support Battalion (Airborne), she credited the mission as a good experience to actually work with a team and put the training she learned at her advanced individual training, such as defensive procedures for NBC warfare and preparation of emergency plans into real world applications.
“In AIT, they teach you just the basics, but you never expect to actually come out and perform a real world mission,” LaPointe said. “To actually perform a decon mission it’s actually a good thing that I was able to experience.
| Date Taken: | 05.17.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 05.24.2012 11:08 |
| Story ID: | 88938 |
| Location: | FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO , AF |
| Hometown: | ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, US |
| Hometown: | FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 450 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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